Abstract:

A flatbed punching module for punching a printing material includes an
upper platen and a lower platen which can be moved by a drive relative to
the upper platen that is fixed to a frame, in order to perform a punching
stroke for punching the printing material passing between the upper
platen and the lower platen, resulting in the lower platen engaging with
or being thrown onto the upper platen. As a result, the printing material
can be processed through the use of at least one punching die. At least
one printing material transport device for guiding the printing material,
is held fixedly on the movable lower platen. The flatbed punching module
can advantageously be used in a flatbed punch for processing a printing
material web.

Claims:

1. In a flatbed punch having a frame, a flatbed punching module for
punching a printing material, the flatbed punching module comprising:an
upper platen fixed to the frame;a lower platen;at least one punching
die;a drive for moving said lower platen relative to said upper platen
for performing a punching stroke punching the printing material passing
between said upper platen and said lower platen by engaging said lower
platen with said upper platen to process the printing material with said
at least one punching die; andat least one printing material transport
device held fixedly on said movable lower platen for guiding the printing
material.

2. The flatbed punching module according to claim 1, wherein said at least
one printing material transport device is an intake assembly.

3. The flatbed punching module according to claim 2, wherein said intake
assembly has a driven intake roller.

4. The flatbed punching module according to claim 3, wherein said intake
assembly includes adjusting rollers to be engaged with said intake
roller.

5. The flatbed punching module according to claim 3, which further
comprises a drive including a servomotor for said intake roller.

6. The flatbed punching module according to claim 1, wherein said at least
one printing material transport device is a sheet separator.

7. The flatbed punching module according to claim 6, which further
comprises a transport unit disposed downstream of the flatbed punching
module and attached to said sheet separator through a rotatably mounted
articulation point.

8. The flatbed punching module according to claim 6, wherein the transport
unit is mounted rotatably on an outlet side in a stationary frame.

9. The flatbed punching module according to claim 1, wherein said drive
for said lower platen includes a connecting rod driven by a crankshaft.

10. The flatbed punching module according to claim 1, which further
comprises a web storage apparatus disposed upstream of the flatbed
punching module.

12. The flatbed punching module according to claim 11, wherein said web
storage apparatus has a servomotor for performing a pivoting movement of
the web storage roller.

13. The flatbed punching module according to claim 10, wherein said web
storage roller is connected to said drive of said lower platen by a
mechanical gear mechanism in order to perform a pivoting movement.

Description:

[0001]This application claims the priority, under 35 U.S.C. §119, of
German Patent Application DE 10 2008 005 214.0, filed Jan. 18, 2008; the
prior application is herewith incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

[0002]The invention relates to a flatbed punching module for punching a
printing material, including an upper platen and a lower platen, which
can be moved by a drive relative to the upper platen that is fixed to a
frame, in order to perform a punching stroke for punching the printing
material passing between the upper platen and the lower platen, so that
the lower platen can engage or be thrown onto the upper platen. As a
result, the printing material can be processed through the use of at
least one punching die. At least one printing material transport device
is provided for guiding the printing material. The invention also relates
to a flatbed punch.

[0003]A very widespread class of flatbed punching modules includes an
upper platen which is fixed to the frame and a lower platen which can be
moved with respect thereto, for punching a printing material which is
situated between the platens, due to the interaction thereof. Both during
insertion and during discharge of the printing material to be punched,
such as a printing material web which is to be perforated or cut
partially, waves can be produced in the printing material. The waves can
lead to a material jam above a defined height (the height difference
between wave crests and wave troughs). The stability and the speed of the
production can be impaired as a result.

[0004]Additional printing material guiding elements (passive guides) which
are fixed to the frame or can be moved relative to the lower platen, such
as by way of a material rocker with a channel-like configuration at the
inlet or by way of guide bars which are adhesively bonded on an opposing
grooved plate that is received on the lower platen, only react to the
symptom which occurs. Therefore, an improvement is required to combat the
cause of the problem which occurs, and to compensate for the relative
movement between the lower platen and assemblies which are mounted in
front of it or behind it.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005]It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a flatbed
punching module for punching a printing material and a flatbed punch,
which overcome the hereinafore-mentioned disadvantages of the
heretofore-known devices of this general type and which provide
compensation for a height offset relative to the printing material,
wherein the height offset occurs as a result of a cyclically varying
punching stroke of a moved lower platen.

[0006]With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in
accordance with the invention, a flatbed punching module for punching a
printing material. The flatbed punching module comprises an upper platen
fixed to a frame, a lower platen, at least one punching die, a drive for
moving the lower platen relative to the upper platen for performing a
punching stroke punching the printing material passing between the upper
platen and the lower platen by engaging or throwing the lower platen on
the upper platen to process the printing material with the at least one
punching die, and at least one printing material transport device held
fixedly on the movable lower platen for guiding the printing material, in
particular for inserting or for discharging the printing material.

[0007]The height offset which occurs is compensated for in the flatbed
punching module according to the invention, as a result of which, as an
advantageous consequence, a rectilinear introduction of force is made
possible during insertion of the printing material. The thrust which
occurs in a straight line reduces transverse forces on the punched
printing material. As a result, the printing material is more stable and
can be accelerated more rapidly. The number of grooves and stamped
recesses on the cutting dies have a relatively small influence on the
production speed, since the printing material can be pushed in an
improved manner from the grooved channels or male dies which are
optionally situated on the opposing grooved plate. The printing material
can be accelerated more rapidly in the flatbed punching module according
to the invention, without the printing material being damaged in the
process or the following processing steps being disrupted by waste pieces
flying out or loose tabs. In this way, an increase in the production
speed can be advantageously achieved.

[0008]Setting up times can advantageously also be shortened, since less
optimization expenditure is required with regard to the correct type and
number of material webs of the printing material.

[0009]A connection between a part of the unpunched printing material and a
punched part of the printing material (for example, a sheet which is
still hanging to a web through a number of material webs) can be provided
by way of a small number of material webs. In this way, the punched part
can be separated more readily from the printing material which has not
yet been punched. The risk is reduced that a printed product or a group
of printed products is not severed by a sheet separator in an undesired
manner. The punching is less susceptible to a curvature of the printing
material (upcurl or downcurl). Fewer material jams are to be expected as
an advantageous consequence.

[0010]Finally, fewer material webs are necessary in order to stabilize the
punched printing material, as a result of which an improved quality of
the punched printed products can be achieved.

[0011]The lower platen can also be referred to as a punching table. The
guidance by the printing material transport device can, in particular, be
active and/or be carried out in such a way as to fix the printing
material and/or be driven. The printing material can be web shaped. In
particular, the printing material can have already been printed, with it
being possible for the flatbed punching module to serve for punching
individual printed products or groups of printed products, for example
folding boxes, from the area of the printing material. More precisely,
the punching in the flatbed punching module according to the invention
can lead to cutting and/or perforating and/or scoring of the printing
module, with the result that the individual printed products or groups of
printed products are first of all still connected to one another through
material webs before they are stripped in a following step by severing of
the remaining material webs.

[0012]According to the invention, a flatbed punching module is understood
to mean not only a flatbed punching module which can process a printing
material by punching, perforating and/or scoring, that is to say it has
or can receive dies for cutting, perforating or scoring. A flatbed
punching module can also be a flatbed embossing module. In a flatbed
embossing module according to the invention, a printing module can be
embossed, in particular, or can be finished with film or with relief cut
engraving. The film can be applied, in particular, in a hot film
embossing process or a cold film embossing process. Relief cut engraving
is understood to mean the application of a film, in particular a hot
film, with simultaneous embossing. The at least one punching die can, in
particular, be a cutting knife, a scoring knife, a female embossing die
or a male embossing die.

[0013]The printing material can, in particular, be paper, paperboard,
cardboard, an organic polymer film or a composite which includes a
plurality of materials, for example a material (for example, paper, in
particular printed material) which is laminated by polymer film or metal
film. The printing material can be made, in particular, of a material
other than metal (objects which are composed only of metal, for example
of metal sheets, plates or strands), of glass, of semiconductor material
or of ceramic.

[0014]The at least one printing material transport device can be fastened,
in particular, to the lower platen or can be connected fixedly to the
lower platen or can be integrated into the lower platen. At least one
part of the printing material transport device, for example a receiving
element, can also be a part of the lower platen, for example its frame,
in embodiments of the flatbed punching module according to the invention.

[0015]In accordance with another feature of the invention, in a series of
advantageous embodiments of the flatbed punching module according to the
invention, the at least one printing material transport device is an
intake assembly. The intake assembly serves to feed the printing material
to a punching gap which is formed by the upper platen and the lower
platen. The position of the moved printing material can be guided, in
particular, in a controlled manner. The intake assembly can be driven, in
particular. The intake roller can be driven intermittently. In concrete
terms, the intake assembly can have a driven intake roller. In
advantageous developments of these embodiments, the intake assembly of
the flatbed punching module according to the invention includes adjusting
rollers which can engage or be thrown onto the intake roller or onto the
printing material which wraps partially around the circumferential
surface of the intake roller. They can engage or be thrown on
pneumatically, for example. Furthermore, the drive of the intake roller
can include a servomotor.

[0016]In accordance with a further feature of the invention, as an
alternative or supplementary to this, the at least one printing material
transport device can be a sheet separator in a series of advantageous
embodiments of the flatbed punching module according to the invention. A
sheet separator serves to separate or completely sever a piece of the
printing material which is severed only partially from the printing
material apart from individual material webs. In other words, either the
at least one printing material transport device can be a sheet separator
in a further series of advantageous embodiments of the flatbed punching
module according to the invention, or one embodiment of a flatbed
punching module according to the invention can also have an intake
assembly as a first printing material transport device according to the
invention and a sheet separator as a second printing material transport
device according to the invention. A sheet separator may also be referred
to as a kicker by a person skilled in the art.

[0017]In accordance with an added feature of the invention, a transport
unit, in particular a sheet transport unit, which is disposed behind or
downstream of the flatbed punching module according to the invention, is
attached to the sheet separator through a rotatably mounted articulation
point. In particular, the transport unit can be disposed immediately
behind the flatbed punching module. In particular, the transport unit can
be articulated rotatably and in a rotationally mounted manner on the
sheet separator and can perform a rocking movement.

[0018]Moreover, in accordance with additional or alternative features of
the invention, an embodiment of the flatbed punching module according to
the invention can have at least the following features individually or in
combination with one another:

[0019]The lower platen can additionally have fixedly attached printing
material elements which make passive guidance of the printing material,
in particular, possible. The drive of the lower platen of the flatbed
punching module can include one or more connecting rods which are driven
by the crankshaft. A web storage apparatus can be disposed in front of
the flatbed punching module according to the invention, more precisely
its inlet or intake part. In particular, the web storage apparatus can be
disposed immediately in front of the flatbed punching module. During the
operation of the flatbed punching module, a web storage apparatus serves
to temporarily receive a continuously fed printing material web which is
fed to the flatbed punching module in an intermittent movement.

[0020]In advantageous developments, the web storage apparatus can include
a pivotably mounted web storage reel. Furthermore or as an alternative to
this, the web storage apparatus can have a servomotor for performing the
pivoting movement of the web storage reel, or the web storage reel can be
connected to the drive of the lower platen through the use of a
mechanical gear mechanism in order to perform the pivoting movement, or
the web storage reel can be mounted eccentrically.

[0021]With the objects of the invention in view, there is concomitantly
provided a flatbed punch for processing a printing material, in
particular a reinforced cardboard web. The flatbed punch according to the
invention comprises at least one web inlet part, a transport unit, in
particular a sheet transport unit, a stripper unit, a tab separating unit
and a product delivery. The flatbed punch according to the invention is
distinguished by the fact that it includes at least one flatbed punching
module having features or combinations of features according to the
invention.

[0022]Other features which are considered as characteristic for the
invention are set forth in the appended claims.

[0023]Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as
embodied in a flatbed punching module for punching a printing material
and a flatbed punch, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the
details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be
made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and
within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.

[0024]The construction and method of operation of the invention, however,
together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best
understood from the following description of specific embodiments when
read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

[0025]FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic, longitudinal-sectional view of a flatbed
punch according to the invention having a flatbed punching module
according to the invention;

[0026]FIG. 2 is an enlarged, longitudinal-sectional view of an
advantageous embodiment of the flatbed punching module according to the
invention having an intake assembly which is received fixedly on a lower
platen and a fixedly received sheet separator; and

[0027]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the intake assembly in the
advantageous embodiment shown in FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0028]Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first,
particularly, to FIG. 1 thereof, there is seen a diagrammatic view of a
flatbed punch 10 according to the invention, having a flatbed punching
module 12 according to the invention. The illustrated embodiment of the
flatbed punch 10 has a modular construction in a horizontal
configuration. In this embodiment, a printing material web, for example
folding boxes which are printed on a reinforced cardboard web, are
processed by the modules from right to left as follows: a printing
material web 24 coming from a web inlet part 14 passes into the flatbed
punching module 12, in which the printing material web 24 is cut in such
a way that, in following processing steps, firstly individual sheets can
be severed from the printing material web 24 and secondly individual
printed products are stripped from the printing material web 24 and can
be separated from one another. The separation into individual sheets
takes place as early as at an outlet of the flatbed punching module 12.
The severed sheets pass through a transport unit 16 which is disposed
behind the flatbed punching module 12 into a stripper unit 18 and a tab
separating unit 20, in which units the printed products are severed from
the trimmed parts and are separated. The printed products are then
delivered in a product delivery 22.

[0029]FIG. 2 is a sectional view of an advantageous embodiment of the
flatbed punching module 12 according to the invention, having at least
one printing material transport device in the form of an intake assembly
38 received fixedly on a movable lower platen 28 and a fixedly received
sheet separator 56. Furthermore, the transport unit 16 is shown as being
disposed immediately behind the flatbed punching module 12 in the left
hand part of the illustration of FIG. 2. The flatbed punching module 12
includes an upper platen 26 which is fixed to the frame or is immovable.
The upper platen 26, in interaction with the movable lower platen 28, can
punch the printing material web 24 which is situated between the upper
platen 26 and the lower platen 28. The lower platen 28 (which can also be
referred to as a punching table) can perform a cyclical or oscillating
punching stroke H by way of a drive 32. In this embodiment, the stroke H
is carried out through the use of two crankshafts 34 and four connecting
rods 36, of which two are concealed in the view of FIG. 2. The punching
stroke H is typically approximately 20 mm.

[0030]Firstly, the intake assembly 38 (see FIG. 3 as well in this regard)
is received fixedly on the lower platen 28. The intake assembly 38
performs the punching stroke H with the lower platen 28. The intake
assembly 38 includes an intermittently driven intake roller 40. The
intermittent movement can also be referred to as a start/stop movement.
The movement profile can have a rest phase during the actual punching
operation, which is the pressing of the lower platen 28 against the upper
platen 26. A web storage device 48 is mounted immediately in front of the
intake assembly 38 of the flatbed punching module 12 along the path of
the printing material web 24. The web storage device 48 includes a web
storage reel 50 which can also be referred to as a guide reel. The web
storage reel 50, which is driven in an oscillating manner by a
servomotor, is received in the web inlet part 14 of the flatbed punch 10
(see FIG. 1) in such a way that it can be pivoted about a pivot point 52.
A pulling assembly 54 for the printing material web 24, which is driven
continuously by a servomotor, is mounted immediately in front of the web
storage device 48 along the path of the printing material web 24.

[0031]Secondly, the sheet separator 56 is received fixedly on the lower
platen 28. The sheet separator 56 also performs the punching stroke H
with the lower platen 28. Due to an interaction between an upper roll 58
and a lower roll 60, punched sheets which have not yet been severed
completely from the printing material web 24 are gripped and accelerated
in such a way that the material webs which remain after the punching
break and the severed sheets can be transported further in a separated
manner. A transport belt frame 64 can be pivoted through an articulation
point 62 (which at the same time is a linear guide) of the sheet
separator 56 about a rotational point 66 which is situated in a fixed
frame 68 of the transport unit 16. If the sheet separator 56 moves up and
down according to the punching stroke H, the transport belt frame 64
performs a rocking movement.

[0032]FIG. 3 provides a detailed illustration of the intake assembly 38,
which oscillates with the punching stroke H in the vertical direction, in
the advantageous embodiment which is shown in FIG. 2. In this
illustration, first of all the intake roller 40 which is driven by a
servomotor 42 can be seen. Adjusting rollers 44 which, by way of example,
are three individual adjusting rollers 44 in this case, can engage or be
thrown onto the printing material web 24 (not shown in FIG. 3) which
extends over the intake roller 40, in order to fix the position of the
printing material web 24. The adjusting rollers 44 can be actuated by way
of pneumatic cylinders 46 for engaging and disengaging or throwing on and
off. That surface of the adjusting rollers 44 which makes contact with
the printing material web is minimized as far as possible for different
reasons. For example, damage of the printed image which is situated on
the printing material web can be avoided in this way. An embossed image
which might be present should also not be pressed flat in this case. As
low a mass or inertia as possible is also advantageous because of the
highly dynamic intermittent movement which is to be carried out. The
servomotor 42, the adjusting rollers 44 and the pneumatic cylinders 46
move cyclically with the entire intake assembly 38 which is fastened to
the lower platen 28.